Happy 2014! The Year of the Polar Bear!

Happy 2014!  I’m saying this as I type my post in Word (because my internet went down Dec. 26!) and right now this is what I can see out any given window. Not the program but any actual window in our house!

Yep Welcome 2014 Winter Storm #1!

I haven’t heard if this storm has been officially named, but if anyone is up a stump on it, I have a few suggestions…..Just sayin’ (Editor's Note:  Apparently this storm has been dubbed "The Polar Vortex".....hmmmmm )

Why no Internet since December 26?  Not sure, but we were able to sneak away to French Lick last week, so we had it set up with our internet company to come out Friday.  The tech guy was sick, so we set it for Saturday, and the truck broke down about 5 miles south of me.  Insert a Charlie Brown ARRRRRGGGGGGGG!

Thankfully I was able to figure out how to get my NEW smartphone to be a mobile hotspot, so I will jump on the internet and post this as soon as I get it finished and proofed.  Trying very hard to not go over my data limit, but it could be tight by the time the internet guys can make it back out here to fix the problem, whatever it is…..whenever the roads are cleared….probably looking at Wednesday at the earliest!  Sigh….

So how was Christmas for you?  We had a great one, and the best part was spending it with all our families!  We were able see Tall Guy’s nephew, GI Joe, newly back from Afghanistan, and my nephew, GI Josh, before he goes back over for his THIRD tour with the Army….. Have to ask you to keep him in your prayers; he will not be sitting behind a desk over there, and his Nana (that’s what my niece and nephews have always called me) is more than a little concerned.

On the HAPPY NEW YEAR getaway to French Lick, we were four generations with my niece, her husband, and my great nephew coming along for the fun along with my parents.  What a beautiful place!  I had never been there, and it always amazes this flat lander that Indiana can be so twisty, turny, and STEEP!  We had to down shift to get up to our condos and to BIG SPLASH! Serious hills and mountains there along with the historic West Baden Springs Hotel and other fun spots to explore.  Other than Big Splash and the other pool at our place, we weren’t too adventurous, but we did meet two of my cousins who just happened to be staying at West Baden and let us sneak a peek at the rooms.  Very Nice!

So now we are back to a serious winter wonderland.  The cows have all been bedded down, Sadie has a whole bale of straw in her dog house that she shares with at least one cat, and the rest of the cats are hunkered down in the tool shed and hay barns for the next 48 hours.  Hope this post finds you all safely hunkered down, warm, and safe as this 2014 gets off to a frosty and frozen start!

P.S.  I started trying to launch this post FOUR DAYS AGO.  I still do not have internet in the house, but the weather has calmed down enough so that I can get out via the hotspot on my phone.  The girls have still NOT gone back to school yet, thought we are hopefull about tomorrow.  Even they are ready to go back!

I will post more about West Baden Springs and French Lick when it doesn't take so much data time to edit and add pics.  Happy 2014!